How to Make the Perfect Genealogy Research Plan

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In this episode, Lisa Alzo offers practical tips for creating your own genealogy research plan. Plus, learn how to better organize that research (including any documents and other valuable resources).

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Tree Talk (2:20)

Family Tree Magazine New Media Editor Rachel Christian joins Lisa to share the latest genealogy new. Some highlights for January include:

Media and Pop Culture

Finding Your Roots TV series on PBS is inviting non-celebrities to apply to be featured on the show, for the first time ever.

Major Updates to Important Genealogy Resources

National Archives has launched a newly redesigned version of their online card catalog.

Record Releases

The National Museum of African-American History and Culture launched a Freedmen’s Bureau Search Portal.

Historical Society of Southern California in partnership with the National Archives at Riverside has published Chinese Exclusion Act Case Files.

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Feature: Creating a Genealogy Research Plan (5:16)

A research plan helps you record the who, what, when, where and why of your family history quest. To help you map out your research plan, author Lisa Alzo shares her five steps for how to create a genealogy research plan.

How to Create a Genealogy Research Plan: A 5-Step Example

Don’t know how to begin your genealogy research, or hit a brick wall? Get on track and inspired with this sample family history research plan.

Family History Home: Organize Genealogy Research (13:58)

Many of us have been accumulating data and documents for years (even decades) and that means we have a lot of stuff to keep track of. It’s easy to fall behind in keeping it all organized. Gena Philibert-Ortega, instructor of the Organize Your Genealogy Research course at Family Tree University, shares organizational strategies that can get your 2023 off to a great start.

Editor’s Desk (27:36)

Magazine Editor Andrew Koch offers a glimpse into the January/February 2023 issue of Family Tree Magazine.

Listen to Lisa Louise Cooke’s Genealogy Gems podcast available at her website and all major podcasting services, or download the Genealogy Gems Podcast app.